Perception of the Uncanny Valley Response to Virtual Humans: The Effects of Gender and Empathic Sensitivity

doi:10.22716/sckt.2025.13.3.006

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2025 Vol.13, Issue 3 Preview Page Next Page

Research Article

Perception of the Uncanny Valley Response to Virtual Humans: The Effects of Gender and Empathic Sensitivity 버추얼 휴먼의 언캐니 밸리 반응에 대한 지각: 성별과 감성 민감성의 효과: Jiyoung Kang¹
강지영¹; ¹Professor, Division of Communication & Media, Ewha Womans University

¹이화여자대학교 커뮤니케이션 미디어학부 교수

30 September 2025. pp. 55-65

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Abstract

본 연구는 성별과 감성 민감성이 버추얼 휴먼에 대한 언캐니 밸리 반응에 어떤 영향을 미치는지를 분석하였다. 총 50명의 참가자가 시각적 리얼리즘 수준이 다른 두 종류의 버추얼 휴먼 자극을 평가하였다. 그 결과, 고리얼리즘 아바타는 특히 여성 참가자에게서 더 강한 언캐니 밸리 반응을 유발하는 것으로 나타났다. 감성 민감성은 언캐니 밸리 반응 수준을 유의하게 높이는 예측 요인이었으며, 반대로 의인화 성향은 그 반응을 완화하는 경향을 보였다. 또한 성별과 리얼리즘 수준 간의 유의한 상호작용 효과가 확인되어, 사용자 특성이 버추얼 휴먼에 대한 지각 반응을 조절할 수 있음을 보여주었다. 이러한 결과는 언캐니 밸리 이론을 확장하는 동시에, 성별과 감성적 특성과 같은 개인의 심리 요인이 언캐니 경험 형성에 핵심적인 역할을 한다는 점을 시사한다. 본 연구는 다양한 사용자 집단에 맞춘 정서 친화적 버추얼 휴먼 디자인 전략 수립에 이론적·실무적 시사점을 제공한다.

This study examined how gender and empathic sensitivity influence users’ uncanny valley responses toward virtual humans. A total of 50 participants evaluated two types of virtual human stimuli differing in visual realism. The results showed that high-realism avatars elicited stronger uncanny responses, particularly among female participants. Empathic sensitivity was a significant positive predictor of uncanny response intensity, whereas anthropomorphism tendency appeared to mitigate such reactions. A significant interaction effect between gender and realism level was also observed, suggesting that user characteristics can moderate perceptual responses to virtual humans. These findings extend the theoretical framework of the uncanny valley by highlighting the critical role of individual psychological traits—such as gender and emotional sensitivity—in shaping uncanny experiences. The study offers both theoretical and practical implications for designing emotionally adaptive virtual humans tailored to diverse user groups.

Keywords

Uncanny Valley

Virtual Humans

Empathic sensitivity

Anthropomorphism

Gender Differences

References

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Information

Publisher :The Society of Convergence Knowledge
Publisher(Ko) :융복합지식학회
Journal Title :The Society of Convergence Knowledge Transactions
Journal Title(Ko) :융복합지식학회논문지
Volume : 13
No :3
Pages :55-65
DOI :https://doi.org/10.22716/sckt.2025.13.3.006

[1] 강지영, “생성형 인공지능 기반 버추얼 휴먼의 언캐니 밸리 효과에 대한 연구”, 융복합지식학회논문지, 제12권, 제2호, pp. 37-49, 2024.
10.15187/adr.2024.11.37.5.385

[2] 김민선, “TV 광고를 중심으로 한 버추얼 휴먼의 사실적 표현 전략에 관한 연구”, 애니메이션연구, 제18권, 제3호, pp. 23-45, 2022.
10.51467/ASKO.2022.09.18.3.23

[3] 정난주, 이미라, 최한나, “셀럽 얼굴 및 셀럽 기반 아바타의 언캐니 밸리 효과”, 감성과학, 제25권, 제1호, pp. 91-102, 2022.
10.14695/KJSOS.2022.25.1.91

[4] 안라영, “GAN 생성 이미지의 형태 변환 방식에 따른 인간다움, 매력도, 섬뜩함 차이에 관한 연구”, 애니메이션연구, 제20권, 제2호, pp. 234-253, 2024.
10.51467/ASKO.2024.06.20.2.234

[5] 안동규, 김성일, “버추얼리티 개념 분석을 통한 버추얼 휴먼 정의 연구”, 디자인학연구, 제36권, 제4호, pp. 193-209, 2023.
10.15187/adr.2023.11.36.4.193

[6] M. Mori, “The Uncanny Valley,” Energy, Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 33-35, 1970.

[7] W. Waytz, J. Cacioppo, and N. Epley, “Who sees human? The stability and importance of individual differences in anthropomorphism”, Perspectives on Psychological Science, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 219-232, 2010.
10.1177/1745691610369336 24839457 PMC4021380

[8] K. F. MacDorman, and H. Ishiguro, “The uncanny advantage of using androids in cognitive and social science research”, Interaction Studies, Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 297-337, 2006.
10.1075/is.7.3.03mac

[9] A. P. Saygin, T. Chaminade, H. Ishiguro, J. Driver, and C. Frith, “The thing that should not be: Predictive coding and the uncanny valley in perceiving human and humanoid robot actions”, Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 413-422, 2012.
10.1093/scan/nsr025 21515639 PMC3324571

[10] C. C. Ho, and K. F. MacDorman, “Measuring the uncanny valley effect: Refinements to indices for perceived humanness, attractiveness, and eeriness”, International Journal of Social Robotics, Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 129-139, 2017.
10.1007/s12369-016-0380-9

[11] A. Tinwell, M. N. Grimshaw, and A. Williams, “Uncanny behaviour in survival horror games”, Journal of Gaming & Virtual Worlds, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 3-25, 2010.
10.1386/jgvw.2.1.3_1

[12] A. Tinwell, D. A. Nabi, and M. N. Grimshaw, “The effect of onset asynchrony in audio–visual speech and the uncanny valley in virtual characters”, International Journal of Mechanisms and Robotic Systems, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 68-76, 2015.
10.1504/IJMRS.2015.068991

[13] M. H. Davis, “Measuring individual differences in empathy: Evidence for a multidimensional approach”, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 44, No. 1, pp. 113-126, 1983.
10.1037//0022-3514.44.1.113

[14] T. Tsumura, and S. Yamada, “Influence of agent's self-disclosure on human empathy”, arXiv, 2021. https://arxiv.org/abs/2106.09906

[15] T. Araujo, and N. Bol, “From speaking like a person to being personal: The effects of personalized, regular interactions with conversational agents”, Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans, Vol. 2, No. 1, 100030, 2024.
10.1016/j.chbah.2023.100030

[16] G. Friebel, M. Lalanne, B. Richter, P. Schwardmann, and P. Seabright, “Gender differences in social interactions”, Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Vol. 186, pp. 33-45, 2021.
10.1016/j.jebo.2021.03.016

[17] A. M. Rosenthal-von der Pütten, N. C. Krämer, L. Hoffmann, S. Sobieraj, and S. C. Eimler, “An experimental study on emotional reactions towards a robot”, International Journal of Social Robotics, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 17-34, 2013.
10.1007/s12369-012-0173-8

[18] M. Rosenthal-von der Pütten, S. Krämer, and F. Hoffmann, “An experimental study on emotional reactions toward a robot”, International Journal of Social Robotics, Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 405-415, 2014.

[19] T. Nomura, T. Kanda, and T. Suzuki, “Experimental investigation into influence of negative attitudes toward robots on human–robot interaction”, AI and Society, Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 138-150, 2006.
10.1007/s00146-005-0012-7

[20] B. Kim, E. de Visser, and E. Phillips, “Two uncanny valleys: re-evaluating the uncanny valley across the full spectrum of real-world human-like robots”, Computers in Human Behavior, Vol. 135, 107340, 2022.
10.1016/j.chb.2022.107340

[21] J. C. McCroskey, and J. J. Teven, “Goodwill: A reexamination of the construct and its measurement”, Communication Monographs, Vol. 66, No. 1, pp. 90-103, 1999.
10.1080/03637759909376464

[22] C. Jennett, A. L. Cox, P. Cairns, S. Dhoparee, A. Epps, T. Tijs, and A. Walton, “Measuring and defining the experience of immersion in games”, International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, Vol. 66, No. 9, pp. 641-661, 2008.
10.1016/j.ijhcs.2008.04.004

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